Apple has filed a patent for an intelligent home automation ecosystem that could seamlessly connect all of the gadgets in the home. The system could connect to a smart phone using GPS technology to detect when building occupants come and go, automatically activating and deactivating lights and other home appliances to improve energy efficiency.
The system will differ from existing home automation in that it will take user interaction out of the equation. Apple wants the system to use a person’s location and habits to automatically control appliances without them having to do anything at all.
As published by the US Patent and Trademark Office, Apple’s US Patent No. 8,577,392 is for a “System and method of determining location of wireless communication devices/persons for controlling/adjusting operation of devices based on the location” describes a system that uses data gathered by static and mobile devices, along with wireless communications technology, to determine a user’s current and guessed future location. Based on these observations, certain preset functions in the home can be activated or deactivated remotely and automatically.
Apple isn’t the first company to see the potential for smart-phone-controlled domestic appliances, or the ‘iHome’, as it calls it. Philips has already made a foray into the smart phone control market with the release of its Hue lighting system. The latter is a colour changing lamp that can be controlled by a smart phone.
